The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-10-13

bless her and make her so 2 although she
Is to fill my Janet's place. ."-Boston Her.
aid.
A BEWIrCHlNG CREATURE.
Detroit Free Pressl
In the winter of 1864, while portion
of my regiment, the New York Twenty
fifth Cavalry, was at Pleasant Valley,
Md, to obtain remount, word was re-
ceived by the post commander that a
Confederate scout named William Bax-
ter, but who was known to us as " Billy
Bowlegs," was on a visit to his mother.
who lived between the Potomac at that
point and village in Virginia, called
Uniontown. There were number of
Colonel kane's Bucktals scouting for
the Federals and making Pleasant Valley
their headquarters, and as had been de-
tailed on several occasions for the scout
service, and had made good record, l
was instructed to select five men and
cross the river and secure Billy" dead
or alive. The fact that he was at home
was fully established, and the location Of
the farm house was known to two of the
men who accompanied me. We were
ferried across the Potomac one evening
at dusk just where the long highway
bridge had been burned, and then we
had a walk of about eleven miles to
to make.
Although Chilly Bowlegs" was fear.
less man and handy shot, we didn't
figure that it would need five men to CAP.
ture him. The country between the river
and Uniontown was then overrun with
bushwackers and guerrIlas, and we antic-
ipated more or less trouble with them.
The scout had been twice captured by
the Federals, and he was described to US
as of slender build, medium height, fair
complexion and dark eyes. Enough was
known about his nerve to know that he
would not be taken alive if he had any
show to fight, and, therefore, as we ap-
preached the house at midnight from
across field, We were anxiously wonder
ing how he should get at him. If we
knocked at the door he would be alarmed
and have time to arm himself. If we
broke it in we might, and probably should,
find him in bed. 1t was a still, clear
night, rather cold, and we hung about for
half an hour before adopting a plan.
Then we decided to break in the doors.
Two of us were to the front and two to
the back door, while the fifth man stood
ready to receive the scout in case he
dropped from second-story window
supposed to be in his room. We crept
softly up, and at a signal both doors
were burst. No, they wern't! Neither
of them gave an inch under the pressure,
and in response to the efforts we made q
wornan's voice called out:
"Who is it, and what's wanted ?"
"Open the door or we'll break it
down."
"Wait one minute!'
She struck light and we heard her
moving about, and in couple of minutes
the front door was opened and a gray
haired woman of As stood there with a
candle in her hand.
"Union soldiers, eh Come right in"
she said, smiling as if glad to see us.
l posted three of the men around the
house and entered with the other, and as
soon as l was inside said:
Madam, we have come for your son.
We know he is here. We shall take him
dead or live"
ooh, you have come for Billy, have
your exclaimed girl about ls years of
age, who came running down stairs at
that moment. Excuse me, gentlemen.
for not being fully dressed, but you see
you didn't send US any word"
She laughed in a merry way, while
the mother smiled good naturedly. She
had on neat-6tting calico dress, ribbon
at her throat, and except that her hair
looked tumbled," she looked as we'll
prepared as il she expected our coming.
eyes, Jennie, they want Billy" said
the mother, as she placed the candle on q
stand.
sand we are bound to take him, dead
or alive !" l added, in a loud voice, sus-
pecting the scout was within hearing.
"Oh, how sorry - laughed the girl
eff brother Billy had only known you
were coming! But he didn't, you see,
and so he went away at dark. He'll
never forgive himself-never
"We must search the house," said.
"Oh, certainly. Nanny, you light
another candle and I'll show the gentle
men around. Perhaps the sight of Billy's
old clothes will do 'em good"
Well, sir, we hunted that house from
attic to cellar, and all we found was an
old suit of Billy's clothes. The scout
had skipped, and the best could do was
to apologize to mother and daughter, ac-
cept a midnight luncheon at the hands OF
the latter, and take the back track for the
river. I'll own up, too, that was
"dead gone" on Jennie before l left,
and that said to her, as 1 squeezed her
hand at parting:
"When the war is over I'm coming to
ask you to be my wife"
And-and-I'll say-say yes I" she
whispered in my ear.
We got back to the ferry soon after
daylight and there met q Union farmer
living neighbor to the widow. When he
heard what we had been up TO he asked
"Was the widder all alonef"
"No; her daughter Jennie was there"
"Daughter Jennie r. Describe her."
"Good looking girl of Medium height,
black eyes and hair, and sweet talker.
I'm going back to marry her after the
war is over"
"Bet you . farm You DON'T That ar
pal Jennie vas nobody else but that ar'